North Channel Star

CAROL ALVARADO celebrates her election victory Tuesday night at her watch party at the Raven Tower. (Photo by Michael Wyka)

HARRIS COUNTY – State Representative Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, was the winner of a special election held Tuesday December 11, to fill the seat in the Texas Senate District 6, vacated by Sylvia Garcia.

There were four candidates running for the position. Alvarado finished with just over 50.4% to avoid a run-off. Democratic State Representative Ana Hernandez received 24% of the vote, Republican Martha Fierro 23%, and Democrat Mia Mundy 2.1%.

NS Mustangs defeat Katy Tigers 49-38

By Allan Jamail

Friday, November 30, 2018, at NRG Stadium, the football game between two of the state’s topped ranked teams ended with the North Shore Mustangs knocking-out the Katy Tigers 49 to 38 in the regional semifinal showdown. This makes twice this season Katy lost to North Shore in their annual rivalry.

A year ago on December 9, 2017, at NRG Stadium, it was the Katy Tigers who prevailed 31 – 3 in the playoffs to payback the North Shore Mustangs for having defeated the Tigers the previous year on November 25, 2016, in a 20-17 regional final showdown.

Jon Kay, North Shore’s coach, had the Mustangs sharply focused both offensively and defensively, so the Tigers could never gain the upper hand or momentum. There were star performances on both sides of the ball, as it has been all season, which explains their 13-0 undefeated season.

The Tigers team ran threw a huge banner on the field which read, “You laughed at our setback, but you’re not ready for our comeback.” The Mustangs made sure there’d be no Katy comeback, and it fired up the Mustangs more than it did the intended Tigers.

On the first play of the game Mustangs quarterback Dematrius Davis threw a 61 yard laser pass to Shadrach Banks rattling the Tigers and shutting down their chanting fans. That wasn’t the end for the Davis and Banks combination; Davis hits Banks again for a 29 yard touchdown strike with 6 minutes still in the first quarter, making it a 14-0 Mustang lead, and again for a third touchdown pass before halftime.

Another Katy banner read, “Challenges, everyone has them, but Katy CONQUERS them.” The Mustangs made the banner’s author regret having made that boast by scoring more points on the Tigers in a playoff game in 13 years. The Mustangs offense made 7 touchdowns from, Shadrach Banks (3), Chance Pillar, Jordan Revels, Zach Evans and Upton Stout. They had made 500 yards, 341 passing yards, 159 running yards. Kicker John Villalobos again was flawless making all 7 extra points.

San Jacinto College aims to open new facility by fall 2020

PASADENA, Texas – The San Jacinto College Board of Trustees has authorized College administration to plan, develop and construct a new facility at Generation Park, located in Northeast Harris County in the northernmost edge of the San Jacinto College taxing area.

The College owns 56.826 acres in a central portion of Generation Park, which is one of the fastest growing areas in Houston. The current development proposal consists of a 50,000 square foot facility to accommodate general education and other academic classes. Additional buildout on the land at Generation Park will move forward in the future as demand dictates. The current proposal includes the necessary infrastructure, parking and other amenities to accommodate the first phase of development.

“We have conducted extensive research on the areas surrounding Generation Park to ensure that the first phase of development provides flexible instructional spaces to meet the needs of the growing region,” said Dr. Brenda Hellyer, San Jacinto College Chancellor. “We know that growth is occurring more rapidly in that part of Houston, and we are committed to responding to the higher education needs of the residential and business populations.”

In a demographic study conducted by the College, it was determined that over the next decade the fastest growing population growth is projected to be concentrated near the northern and southern boundaries of the district. Several of the fastest growing zip codes in the Houston area are adjacent to the proposed Generation Park Campus, and the population around Generation Park is growing at approximately twice the rate of the rest of the College district. It is expected that the majority of the students that attend the Generation Park Campus will be new to the district. This campus will also be designed to meet the workforce needs of the businesses in the region.

Upon selection of a construction manager-at-risk and architect for the project, the College will begin the design phase for the new facility. The goal is to open the new campus for classes in fall 2020. (more…)

Early voting has started in Harris County, for a candidate to replace Sylvia Garcia in the state Senate, District 6. Candidates include Democratic State Representatives Ana Hernandez and Carol Alvarado, Democrat Mia Mundy, and Republican Martha Fierro.

The County Clerk has posted the following times and locations for Early Voting:

Pictured (from left) are Sheldon ISD Board President Fred Rivas, Board Vice President Latricia Archie, Board Member Debbie Kolacny, Board Member Angela Cormier and Superintendent King Davis at the groundbreaking site for the new Sheldon ISD elementary school which took place last month.

Mustangs Dematrius Davis goes airborne, leaping across the goal line on a 59 yard quarterback keeper play for the game’s first score. (Photo by Allan Jamail)

PLAYOFF GAME NORTHSHORE vs KATY on Nov. 30

By Allan Jamail

On Friday, November 23, 2018, at 1 PM at the Galena Park ISD football stadium, the North Shore Mustangs took the bite out of the Dickinson Gators, eliminating them from the state football playoffs 65 to 21.

Mustang Coach Jon Kay’s offense and defense played like a team hungry for another State Championship title.

After Sylvia Garcia won a seat in the U.S. Congress in the Nov. 6 general election, she resigned from the Texas Senate District 6. She will now represent TX29 in Congress, Gene Green’s old seat.

To replace Garcia in the Texas Senate, Governor Greg Abbott has called a Special Election, to be held on Tuesday, December 11. Early voting will start on Monday, November 26. Four candidates are running for the position, including two well-known state representatives, Ana Hernandez and Carol Alvarado. The other two candidates are Martha Fierro, a Republican, and Mia Mundy. The latter are relatively unknown to voters.

Judge Joe Stephens continues his tradition of generosity by donating turkeys to needy families in the area. Judge Stephens collaborated with Ronny Dwairy, Constable Sherman Eagleton and Christian Tabernacle to purchase and distribute 1300 turkeys to those in need in 5 different communities.

The turkey giveaway was a weekend long event starting on Friday, November 16th with 450 turkeys given out in the North Shore Area. The donations continued on Saturday when Judge Stephens and volunteers set up in North East Houston, Barrett Station, Baytown and Sheldon.

Mustangs’ junior running back #3 Zach Evans shakes loose a Longhorn defender to score one of his 3 touchdowns. (Photo by Allan Jamail)

By Allan Jamail

Friday, November 16, 2018, at the Galena Park ISD football stadium, the North Shore Mustangs chased the Dobie Longhorns back to Pasadena, eliminating them from the state football playoffs 56 to 19.

Coach Jon Kay’s aggressive and heavily starred defense early in the game rounded up, dehorned and closed the gate on the Longhorns offense keeping them to only 7 points in the first half. The defense helped with the score-making in the first quarter when senior defensive back Keyoon Stewart scooped up a loose ball and trotted 30 yards for a touchdown.

Houston, TX. – Friday, October 26, 2018 — Members of the Houston Parks Board met with citizens of the Wood Shadows II Subdivision, where a proposed hike and bike trail is in the pre-construction stage. The trail, if completed, will be placed on the northern side of the Kinder Morgan pipeline right-of-way easement, beginning at Maxey Road, going westward approximately two or three hundred feet behind the homes along the 11600 block of Lafferty Oaks Street.

Lisa Kasianowitz, Outreach Manager (in photo foreground), conducted the meeting and Chip Place (hand raised), Managing Director of Capital Projects for the Houston Parks Board, together explained the intentions of the Parks Boards trail and answered questions of the concerned citizens present.

Kasianowitz and Place explained it as part of Bayou Greenways 2020. The Houston Parks Board is working on a new greenway segment for the Hunting Bayou Greenway, which will ultimately connect from Manitou Drive near 610, through Herman Brown Park, to Maxey Park along Maxey Road, with the trail connecting into the existing trail network in Herman Brown Park in the middle. Construction is tentatively set for spring/summer of 2019.

Citizens were concerned about an increase in walking and vehicular traffic in their neighborhood, which could then bring an increase in crime, as well as crowded street parking in front of their homes from people driving there to use the trail. Police surveillance for security to prevent thefts and break-ins of their homes, and maintenance of the trail to prevent littering issues, were raised.

Iris Jones, a nearby homeowner, said, “For 30 years we have lived peacefully in Wood Shadows II subdivision. Since Hurricane Harvey we’ve had an increase in crime in our neighborhood, making it unsafe to use our front yards, so our backyards are now our safe havens. To erect an unlit walking trail so close behind our homes is dangerous, unwise, and totally unacceptable!”